Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Fireflies And Dragonflies

Deep Space Industries conducted its first news conference today, unveilinng its plans to tap asteroid wealth. Starting in 2015, a fleet of tiny probes called Fireflies will be sent to many asteroids to conduct initial surveys. Starting in 2016, larger probes called Dragonflies will fly sample return missioms.

DSI also announced it has a patent on something called a MicroGravity Foundry, which will process the raw resoirce in asteroids into usable metals. Those metals will then be used to build things in space-- first, communication satellites, then huge solar power satellites, and finally space colonies.

It's a magnificent vision, but having visions is easier than creating reality/